Sigma’s 18-250mm f3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM zoom won praise for its balance of performance and convenience, but it looked bulky after rival Tamron introduced the diminutive 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD. Reducing the size, and weight while updating the optical construction to allow a new minimum focus distance of 35cm, the 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM is Sigma’s response. But has the redesign compromised the optical performance, or is it a valuable addition to the range? Read on to discover our verdict.

Announced earlier in the year (June 2012), the recently updated Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM for Nikon and Canon APS-C format DSLRs (for the purposes of this review but also Sigma, Pentax and Sony cameras) is a compact and lightweight “walkabout” zoom designed to replace several fixed focal lengths in one convenient lens.

Because of the slight difference in sensor size between Nikon and Canon bodies the lens behaves slightly differently in performance terms and also with regard to the equivalent focal length when comparing it a full frame 35mm (24x36mm) sensor. On a Nikon body, such as the D7000, the lens has a similar angle of view to that of a 27mm-to-375mm, while on the marginally smaller Canon sensor it can be compared with or to a 28.8mm-to-400mm lens.

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